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Nerdy Guest Amani Martorella chats with Malia about young adults, mental health, and college

Mental Health School Staying Safe Videos

Amani Martorella, MSSW, is the Senior Clinical Social Worker at the Johns Hopkins University’s student counseling center, and the senior staff advisor for A Place To Talk, a campus peer mental health support group. She talks about how college students have been affected by the pandemic, getting sent home and coming back for the college Read more…

My kid is returning to college, living off campus with a friend “pod” and attending classes (mostly remotely).

Families/Kids Reopening School Staying Safe

Q: What advice can I give about being responsible and safe? I know they are eager for normal college social life, but I am really worried abut COVID risk. A: Suggest that the pod makes a PACT: Protection, Accountability, Commitment, Trust. Protection/Prevention: The group can determine together the specific prevention measures and behaviors they will Read more…

I still have a few questions about my indoor and outdoor activities? Help!

Socializing Staying Safe

A: We can help! Remember, when you are doing activities indoors, ventilation helps. And plan most activities outdoors to minimize exposure to SARS-COV-2. Can I leave the air conditioner on if I have an indoor activity? According to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), yes but with a few considerations: Read more…

Tips for Sniffing out Scientific Subterfuge

Uncertainty and Misinformation

As we’ve written about numerous times, randomized controlled trial evidence to-date has universally failed to find that hydroxychloroquine benefits COVID patients. Now we’re hearing reports that some confused soul – bless their heart – has decided to use the “randomized” label on an observational, cross-country comparison demonstrating the opposite. Luckily, fellow Nerdy-Girl-in-Spirit, Your local epidemiologist, Read more…

What is considered “exposure” to someone who has COVID-19? Once you find out you were exposed, what should you do?

Infection and Spread Staying Safe

A: If you have been in close contact (i.e., < 6 feet away for ≥ 15 minutes) with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 anytime starting 2 days before their symptoms developed and up until the case meets the criteria to end isolation (i.e., at least 10 days have passed since the day of symptom onset AND Read more…

Hamilton Parody Video

Mental Health

Pandemic getting you down? Try these strategies to boost your mental health: – Mindfulness – Laughter – Hamilton parodies Link to original FB post

Is it safe to start seeing friends indoors?

Families/Kids Infection and Spread Socializing Staying Safe

A: Not yet. While there are ways to minimize risks when indoors (increasing ventilation with outdoor air by opening windows or circulating air/using a high quality air filter/minimizing length of indoor interaction), experts still agree that the outdoors are where we should be. This point is very much emphasized in a recent preprint. TL; DR: Read more…

What’s up with this “programming error” in the Florida data on kids? How does this change things?

Data and Metrics Data Literacy Testing and Contact Tracing

A: TL;DR Whether the positivity rate is 14% or 30% for kids, Florida still has a COVID problem. And with respect to the data error, we need to have a little understanding. Public health departments are trying to do something very difficult on shoestring budgets. Data collection in a crisis is messy and sometimes we Read more…

Do masks work at slowing the spread of Covid-19?

Masks Staying Safe

A: YES! Wearing a mask reduces the spread of droplets containing the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Blocking these droplets with a mask from shooting out into the world around us reduces transmission from person to person. Masks block a significant amount of these droplets while still allowing gases to pass in and out of the mask. Still Read more…

¿En dónde encuentro más información sobre la pandemia en el estado o condado en donde vivo en Estados Unidos?

Posts en Español

R. El periódico NY Times y Univisión han publicado herramientas para revisar si suben o bajan los casos, las pruebas positivas, y las muertes de coronavirus. Estos datos son recopilados por el Centro Johns Hopkins de Ciencia e Ingeniería en Sistemas. Las gráficas presentadas aquí se actualizan diariamente. Es importante tener en cuenta esta información Read more…

Population Basics Part 2

Data and Metrics

PART 2 on population basics from Dr. Michal Engelman. In case you missed Part 1 in this Nerdy Guest miniseries, here it is! Q: Ok, now I understand what a population (and even a sub-population!) is… but why does that matter for dealing with COVID-19? Population scientists can’t predict which people will get COVID-19, but Read more…

Etiquette help, please. Screaming “BACK UP BUSTER!” every time someone violates my pandemic personal space isn’t working out so well.

Staying Safe

A: Try out an alternative that leads with mutual respect, such as: “Sir, can we please put a little space between us?” This suggestion is offered by etiquette expert Elaine Swann, author of the book “Let Crazy Be Crazy: Then Politely Get What You Want, Get Your Point Across, and Gently Put Rude People in Read more…

How frequently should students in a college community get tested in order to prevent large COVID-19 outbreaks?

Reopening School Testing and Contact Tracing

A: Every 2 days, according to one recently-published model. Every 2 days!? Whaaaaah???? With hundreds of thousands of students around the country headed back to college campuses this month, COVID testing is something every college needs to plan for: Who, how, and how often? The “how often” question was answered last week in a study Read more…